Raekwon did something that seemed impossible: he delivered a successful sequel, to a classic album, over a decade after the original was released. Cuban Linx II is a reminder of when hip-hop was great, and reminds us of what hip-hop’s missing now. This was, hands down, 2009's greatest musical accomplishment. ... »»
Blackout 2 sounds like it was produced a decade ago, when hip-hop was a shadow of its former self. It's got the feel of that turn-of-the-millennium hip-hop—synthetic, not memorable and full of references to Tupac and Biggie. ... »»
First off, let me say that my Jay-Z album cover theory was flawed. I guess technically it's still sound, since, while you can't see his eyes on the cover of The Blueprint 3, you can't see him at all, so it's sort of outside the scope of my theory. ... »»
Just in time for Christmas, here's a list of recent releases for those of you who are literally waiting until the last minute to finish up your holiday shopping. We'll cover a wide array of genres and artists, so soak it in, get off the damn computer, and finish up that shopping, procrastinator! ... »»
There are two things that make Superpsychosexy especially frustrating. The first is the production ... the beats are dense, complex and entertaining. But The One wastes most of them with this sleep-inducing style. Second, the insufferable ego of The One overshadows every other aspect of this album—good and bad. This album plays like the most self-serving of vanity projects. ... »»
OK, so last time I gave you a rundown of the albums that Entertainment Weekly had deemed "The New Classics." I even provided their ranking. Now, it's time for me to gripe about who I think was snubbed, in terms of hip-hop.
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